Shutter apparatus for radiators



June 2, 1925.

J. F. ALEIGH SHUTTER APPARATUS FOR RADIATORS Filed Dec. 22, 1923 Patented June 2, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES F; RALEIGH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO `:FINES MANUFACTURING COMPANY,l 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

SHUTlER APPARATUS FOR RADIATORS.

Application led December 22, 1923. Serial No. 682,218.

To (/Z trimm. it ln/aj] concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES I". Rumen, a. citizen of the United States, and resident of Chicago, in Ithe county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and i useful Improvement in Shutter Apparatus for Radiators,oit which the following isa full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being Ihad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a shutter apparatus adapted for use in conjunction with the radiator' of an `internal combustion engine constituting the power plant of an automotive vehicle. are characteristic of my present invention are particularly useful when incorporated in a thermostatically operated radiator shutter attachment, but are by no means restricted to use in an attachment of this specific type.

@ne of the principal objects of my present invention is to provide a plurality of radiator lshutters with bearings which are noiseless and dustproof, which are adequately protected by the frame members vby which they are supported, which operate with a minimum of friction, which -.mayf be economically manufactured and assembled with the shutters and shutter frame and which require practically no attention after the shutter apparatus is installed` upon an automobile radiator.

The shutter apparatus herein shown is of ithetype comprising two principal frames,

namely, the shell or main frame and a subframewhich is secured in the shell or main frame and which supports the shutters, and, if desired, a part or all of the shutter-operating mechanism.

It is one of the objects of the present invention. to provide improved means whereby the subeframe is effectively prevented from rattling -within the shell or main frame or from being sprung to such an extent `as to impair the effectiveness ofthe shutter bearings.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention--` Figure 1 is a rear elevational view' ofy a radiator shutter attachment embodying my invention, certain'parts of the apparatus with which my invention is not particularly concerned being broken away to conserve space in illustration;

rlhe improvements ywhich Figure2 is avertical sectional view which may be 'regarded as taken on the line 2 2 of Figure l, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows:

Figure 3 is an enlarged 'fragmentary sectional view which may be regarded as taken on the line '3-3 of Figure 1,- looking in the direction indicated bythe arrows; and

Figure 4. is a fragmentary sectional view which may be regarded astaken on the line H of Figure l, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. i

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The shutter attachment herein shown and described may be regarded as an improvement upon the shutter apparatus described a-nd claimed in my prior Patent No. 1,458,593, dated .lune 1:2, 1923. Certain parts of the appara-tus illustrated inl the accompanying drawings are, or may be, substantially identical to corresponding parts illustrated in my aforesaid patent. Thereitore, I shall not burden this specification with a detailed description of parts which are adequately illustrated and described in my prior patent.

The shutter attachment illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprises a shell or main frame consisting of a single piece `of sheet metal conformed to provide a marginal flange 10, forwardly dished central portion 11, and a thermostat housing 12. The forwardly dished cenit-ral portion of the shell is providedwithna rectangular fenestration 13, the shell metal at the upper and lower margins of this fenestration being turned rearwardly to provide flanges 14 and 15 which serve to Istiften the central portion of the shell and to support the shutter `trame flange 10 of the shell is preferably beaded at its edges to provide a rearwardly facing channel adapted to receive a cushioning strip 16, which is clamped between the radiator and the attachment shell when the latter is secured to the radiator. Persons skilled in the art to -which my invention relates and familiar with .the disclosure of my prior patent aforesaid will understand that the attachment shell is preferably secured to the radiator by means of long, slender bolts which extend through the radiator core .and through apertures in the attachment flange 10, which are spacedaway from the cushion-l ing'material 16. The shell flange apertures through which the attaching bolts may be passed are indicated at 173-17. It is desirable that the lateral walls of the forwardly dished central-portionl of the shell diverge toward the radiator. These diverging walls are illustrated at 13a-13a.

I prefer that all of the air which passes through the radiator'with which my attachment is employed must find its way through the shell fenestration 13. I shall novi7 describe the details of the shutter frame and the shutters which are adapted to regulate the effective area of the shell fenestration.

yThe shutter frame and parts carried therebyl are preferably so designed as to be insertable in the attachmentshell as a unit. The shutter frame is rectangular in shape and comprises-sideuchannel.members 1.8-18,

the upper channel member 19 and the lower' channel member 20. The sidechannel members 18-18 arey reversely arranged lwith their open sides facing away from the shut- Y ters presently to be described.' 4The upper channel member 19 is preferably considerably larger in size than the lower channel and has side flanges of unequal height. The upper and lower channel members are provided at their extremities with lug portions which are turnedinto the adjacent ends of the side channel members 18--18 and are there rigidly secured by means of bolts, asv

illustrated. The frame is secured to. the shell by any suitable means, 21, for instance,

as by the clips shown in my aforementioned patent, which clamp the upper and lower channel members against the shell.

The sidechannel members-18 are disposed with their closed sides or webs just without the margins of the fenestration 13 inthe dished lportion 11` of the shell. Across the fenestration 13 is disposed a plurality of vertically aligned shutters 22 mounted/about vertically spaced horizontal axes along side frames 18. The lower edge of eachshutter is providedwith a backwardly turned flange 23, while the upper edge of each shutter is provided with a trough-shaped flange 24 into which the flange 23 of the shutter thereabove enters when the shutters are in their normal orI closed position, whereby the shutters form a substantially air-tight closure for the fenestration. Each shutter 22 is provided with inwardly turned ends 25 in the mid portions of which are secured ali ed hollow studs 26 for journaling the shutter on the side lchannel members 18-18. At one side of the shutter (the right in Fig. 1) the ends 25 are extended into arms ,27 'for pivotal connection with a link bar 28 for simultaneously actuating all ofthe shutters. /A tension spring 29 normally? urges the link bar 28 upwardly, while a rod 30 reciprocated'through a bel crank 31 by the thermostatic means contained in the beari housing 12 is adapted to push the link bar 28 downwardly to open the shutters aga-inst the force of the spring 29. This thermostatic means is not here shown, but is fully disclosed in patent application Serial No. 362,251, filed March 1, 1920, by Charles A. Pipenhagen. j

Each hollowl stud 26, which may either be stamped or spun, is provided adjacent its open end with a bead or double shoulder 32 (see Fig. 3) against which the rim of the aperture 33' in the shutter end 25 bears, the open end of the stud being peened overto secure it to the shutter. The web of the side, channel member 18 which lies adjacent theshutter end is provided with an aperture34 into which projects the open end of a cup-shaped bearmg member 35 provided with the external shoulder 36 for abutting the margins i of the hole34 whereby the member 35 may be peened over as at 37 to secure it to thev side frame 18. The rim of the hole 34 is depressed outwardly away from the shutter a slight distance to' compensate lfor the peened over portion 37.

It Will be seen that the shutter is journaled in the side channel member 18 by means of the cylindrical bearing surface afforded by the hollowstud v26 and the bore of the'stationary bearing member 35,.while the end thrust is borne by the shoulder 32 of the stud which bears against the open end of the bearing member 35. I contemplate that the shoulder 32 bearing against the end of the bearing member 35 will constitute a dust seal to prevent dust and dirt from getting intoy the journal. However, since under certain strains this seal may be broken sufficiently to allow small particles the holes 34 so that they may to some extent adapt themselves to irregularities in their alignment withthe yaires of the associated 'shl'ittel.v The same is also true of the method 'I employ in securing the studs 26 to the shutterv ends 25. In tins way a smooth lfitting" journal at each end of the shutter is obtained, even thou h in manufacture the members an the studs are not accurate y aligned.

To reservethe dust proof characteristic of ther-"several shutter bearings' and also to prevent an undue enlarging of the air leakage s ace between the ends of the shutters and t e juxtaposed channel members'lS, I

lll).

provide each channel member 18v midway between its ends with a spacer'39 which is formed from a short strip of sheet metal bent into a substantially U cross section as shown in Fig. 4. The legs of the U extend into the open side of the sidev channel members ,18 between the flanges thereof, whilethe arch or web of the U is obliquely conformed to mate one of the diverging Walls 13a of the shell. bers 18 arevactually secured tothe shell only through the upper and 'lower frames 19 and 20, any tendency of the side channel members 18 to spread apart intermediate their ends is prevented by the spacers 39 which hold themin proper relation. Because the oblique surfaces of the spacers v39 contact the diverging walls 13a of the shell, there is a tendency for ,the side channel members 18, in being pulled toward the shell by the. previously mentioned clips or other frame retaining means, to be cammed inwardly at their mid portions to maintain under something of a spring tension, the shoulders 32 on the studs against the ends of the cup-shaped bearing members 35 and so preserve the dust-tight seal therebetween. It will be noted that the spacers 39 need not be riveted or otherwise secured to any of the parts, for onceassembled in the .posit-ion shown, it is'impossible for them to work out of position. It will also be appreciated that these spacers 39 ,serveeectually to .prevent rattling of the sub-frame against the shell and also to prevent rattling of a shutter against the sub-frame due to longitudinal movement of the shutter.

lVhile Ihave shown this particular embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that certain changes may be made therein withoutc departing from the scope or spirit of my invention.

I claim:

lThe combination in an automobile radiatorA shutter comprising a fenestrated shell, of supporting means carried by said shell, a plurality of shutters mounted in said su porting means, an individualhollow pivot 1goss for each of said shutters carried by said supporting means, each of said pivot bosses being completely closed with the exception of an open end ,facing its shutter, and a. hollow vpivot boss on the end of each shutter entering the open end of said rst boss. j

2. The combination with a plurality of shutters and frame members adjacent the ends of said shutters for pivoting said shutters, of dust proof bearings for said'shutters, said bea-rings con'iprising stationary bearing members secured to said frame members, and cylindrical studs secured to said shutter ends, the peri-pheries of said studs co-operating with the bores of said bearing members to form journals for 'the Thus, while the side memshutters, said studs being provided with shoulders which contact mating shoulders on said bearing members to form dirt-tight seals, means for urging said stationary bearing members towards said cylindrical bearing members.

3. The combination with a plurality .of shutters and a frame adjacent the ends of said shutters for pivoting said shutters, of

dust proof bearings for said shutters, said bearings comprising statlonary bearing members secured to said frame, and studs secured to said shutter ends, the peripheries of said studs co-operating with the bores of said bearing members to form journals for the said shutters, said studs being provided with shoulders whichcontact mating shoulders on said bearing members to form dirt-tight seals, and annular spaces between said/shoulders and said journals for the purposeof collecting dirt before reaching Y said journals.

4: The combinationwith a plurality of shutters and frame-members adjacent the ends of said shutters on which said shutters are pivoted, of dust proof bearings for l said shutters, each of said bearings comprising awstationary bea-ring member secured to one end of sald frame members and a stud secured to the end of one of said shutters, said stud co-operating with the bore of said bearing member to form a journal for the shutter, contacting shoulders on said bearing member and said stud, said stationary bearing member between said journal and the shoulder on said member being out-` wardly belled to provide an annular space between said shoulders and said journal for collecting dirt entering between said shoulders before such dirt reaches said journal and for .again disharging said dirt outwardly between sai shoulders.

5. In a shutter apparatus the combination of a plurality of sheet metal shutters pivoted on parallelaxes, spaced bearing frame members for said shutters at the ends thereof, each of said shutters being provided at one end with a bearing .stud supported thereon solely by means of spaced shoulders at each side of the sheet metal of said shutter, and a tubular bearing member secured solely by means of spaced shoulders thereon to one of said frame members, said stud extending into said tubular bearing members to :form a journal for said shutter.

6. In a shutter apparatus the combination of a plurality of sheet metal shutters pivoted on parallel axes, spaced frame members for said shutters at the ends thereof, each ci said shutters being provided at one end with a bearing stud, and a female bearing member secured solely by means of spaced shoulders to one of said frame member, said stud extending into said bea-ring` member to journal said shutter.

open sides away from said shutters, apertures in the web portions'of said channels, cup-shaped stationary bearing members disposed between the flanges of said channels and secured in said apertures, and shutter carried trunnions extending through said apertures and into said cup-shaped bearing members.

8. In a shutter apparatus for the purpose set forth, a plurality of shutters adapted to move'around parallel axes, parallel frame members by and between'which the shutters are supported, a plurality of apertures in each frame member, a plurality of stationary bearing members each provided with blind bores, each of said bearing members extending into and being secured in one of said apertures andV presenting its bore toward one of said shutters, and shutter car-` ried trunnions extending through said aper, tures and in to the blind bores of the aforesaid stationary bearingmembers.

9. A shutter apparatus including a shell comprising a marginal flange and a forwardly dished central portion provided with a rectangular fenestration, the lateral wallsl of said forwardly dished central portion diverging rearwardly from said fenestration, a rectangular shutter frame, shutters journalled in the side members of said frame, said shutter frame being held in said shell by having its top and bottom members secured to the shell at the upper and lower margins of said fenestration, and spacers carried by the shutter frame side members intermediate the ends thereof, said spacers being provided with oblique surfaces bearing against the diverging side walls of the dished portion of the shell.

10. A shutter apparatus including a shell comprising a marginal flange and a forwardly dished centrall portion provided with a rectangular fenestration, a. rectangular shutter frame, shutters pivotally supported by and between the shutter frame side members, said side members being in the form of channels opening away from said shut-ters, said shutter frame being held in said shell by having the upper and lower shutter frame members secured to the upper and lower margins of said fenestration, and substantially U-shaped spacers disposed in said channel side members between the ends thereof, the web portions of said spacers bearing against the side walls of the dished portion of the shell.

l1. A. shutter apparatus including a shell comprising a marginal flange and a forwardly dished central portion forming rearwardly diverging side walls, said dished portion being provided with a rectangular fenestrat-ion, a rectangular shutter frame, shutters pivotally supported by and between the shutter frame side members, said side members being in the form of channels opening away from said shutters, said shutter frame being held in said shell by .having the upper and lower shutter frame members secured to the upper and lower margins of said fenestration, and substantially U-shaped spacers disposed in said channel side members between the ends thereof, the web portions of said spacers bearing against said diverging side walls to cam the said sidc members toward said shut-ters.

In witness whereof, l hereunto subscribe my name this l2 day of December, 1923.

JAMES F. RALEIGH.

Witness:

FRANK Lnms. 

